Protective shield for casting a baited hook



June 22, 1965 J. s. MAMBRIN 3,190,028

PROTECTIVE SHIELD FOR CASTING A BAITED HOOK Filed March 9, 1964 2 sheets-sheet 1 TIE-kl- TIEIZ a- TlEI-JQ-L I I4 :4 s |7 lsv .ls

INVENTORQ JOSEPH S: MAMBRIN ATTORNEY June 22, 1965 5, IN 3,190,028

PROTECTIVE SHIELD FOR CASTING A BAITED HOOK Filed March 9, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'TIIE: 55L E5- TIES: 2

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHH lmlull JOSEPH S- MAMBRIN A T TOR E n k W United States Patent p 3,190,028 PROTECTIVE SHIELD FOR CASTING A RAITED HOOK Joseph S. Mamba-in, 320 Southcliff Ave, South San Francisco, Caiif. Filed Mar. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 351,279 3 Claims. (Cl. 43-412) This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 315,494, which was filed in the United States Patent Office on October 11, 1963 and is now abandoned.

The present invention relates to improvements in a protective shield for casting a baited hook. It consists of .the combinations, constructions and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a protective shield for casting a baited hook, the shield having a pair of companion housing members, each having a compartment therein. These compartments are adapted to contain the baited hook and arranged to protect the bait during the casting operation. When the shield strikes a body of water into which the housing members are cast, the latter are opened up automatically, thus allowing the baited hook to fall free of the shield.

More specifically stated, it is proposed to provide a springpressed latch that is slidably mounted on one of the housing members and having a detent for engaging with a catch on the other housing member to thus hold the members together during the casting operation. A sinker is anchored to the latch to aid in casting the shield. The sinker is disposed to move the detent into unlatched position when the sinker strikes the water, thus freeing the baited hook contained within the housing members.

Another object is to provide a protective shield of the character described, which is simple in construction, durable and efficient for the purpose intended and which may be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification continues. The novel features of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Drawings For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view showing the protective shield after being cast into a body of water with the baited hook being released from the shield;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the protective shield containing a baited hook, the shield constituting a first embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal transverse sectional view taken along the plane 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a side elevational view of FIGURE 2, parts being disclosed in section;

FIGURE 5 is an elevational view showing a second embodiment of the protective shield after being cast into a body of water with the baited book being released from the shield, and this View further illustrating a spreader or bridle to which the various lines or leaders are attached;

FIGURE 6 is a front elevational view of the modified form or second embodiment of the protective shield containing a baited hook; and

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of FIGURE 6, parts being disclosed in section.

While I have shown only the preferred forms of my invention, it should be understood that various changes,

BARNES Patented June 22, 1965 or modifications, may be made within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed description Referring now to the first embodiment of the invention, as shown in FIGURES 1 to 4, inclusive, I have disclosed a pair of companion housing members A which are made to be disposed in confronting relation with one another, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawings, each being provided with a concaved compartment 10 on that face 1 1 that confronts the other housing member. These housing members have upper and lower flanged ends 12 and 13, respectively.

For the purpose of hingedly securing the upper ends 12 of the housing members A together so that the confronting faces i1 1 of the latter may be swung toward and away from one another, I make use of a snap fastener B. The upper loop 14 of this fastener may be attached to a leader or line 15 by a swivel 16, while the lower loop 17 passes loosely through openings 18 formed in the upper end of the members A. This arrangement will permit one housing member to swing away from the other, as suggested by arrow 19 (see FIGURE 4). Of course, the members may swing on the loop 17 toward one another so that the confronting faces 11 will be disposed in adjacent relation, as shown in FIGURE 4, prior to a casting operation. The concaved compartments 10 register and coact with one another to house a baited hook 20, while the housing members are arranged in adjacent relation (see FIGURE 4).

It will be observed that a spring-pressed latch C is slidably mounted on the lower flanged end 13 of one of the housing members, and this latch has a downwardly directed detent 21 disposed to engage with the other housing member for retaining the lower ends of the pair of housing members in adjacent relation, when the latch is moved downwardly by a relatively light spring 2-2, whereby the baited hook 20 will remain in the compartments 10 during the casting of the housing members by a line 23, the latter being shown as being attached to the upper end of the leader or the like 15 by a swivel 24.

As an important structural feature, a sinker D is anchored to the latch to aid in casting the housing members A, and this sinker is disposed to move the detent upwardly into unlatched position to release the baited hook 20, when the sinker strikes a body of water E into which the housing members are cast.

It is pointed out that the hook 2! may carry bait 25 of any suitable description, for instance, live bait in the form of a minnow, fillet of fish, or other fish-attractive lure material.

As clearly illustrated in FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawings, at least a portion of the confronting faces 11 of the housing members A are separated from one another to provide an open space 26 through which a leader or the like 27 may extend to the line 23, when the housing members are latched together. Also, this space will provide an exit through which sand or other foreign matter may escape from the compartments 10.

More specifically, reference to FIGURE 4 will disclose that the confronting faces 11 of the housing members A areconcaved longitudinally to provide the open space 26 previously mentioned, with the open space 26 being arranged on each lateral side of the housing members and through which the leader 27 may selectively extend from the baited hook.

In FIGURES 3 and 4, I show the housing members A as being made concavo-convexed in transverse and longitudinal cross-sections to provide the concaved compartments 19 therein. Of course, any suitable material may be used for the housing members.

As clearly shown in FIGURE 4, the confronting faces 11 of the housing members are disposed sufficiently close together, when the housing members are latched together, so as to prevent the bait 25 from being accidentally dislodged from the compartments It, during the casting operation, i.e., the housing members are cupped around the bait.

The housing member A on which the latch C is mounted is fashioned with a flange 28 through which the lower end of the latch slidably projects, and this housing member has an opening or other aperture 29 formed therein cornmunicating with the compartment Itl thereof and through which the upper detent end of the latch extends. The spring 22 has been shown as encircling the latch C and being disposed between shoulders 3% on the latch and the wall of the housing member surrounding the opening 29.

The sinker D may be attached to the lower end of the latch C by a looped wire 31 that loosely extends through an opening 32 formed in the lower end of the latch (see FIGURE 2).

When the sinker D strikes the body of Water E and its downward movement is temporarily arrested, the inertia of the moving housing members A will cause these mem- 'bers to move downwardly relative to the arrested latch C and thus disengage the detent 21 from engagement with the opening 33 or other suitable catch of the other housing member, thus releasing the baited hook 2d for moving free of the protective shield.

Of course, the latch C and the sinker D are arranged substantially in alignment with one another at the instant the sinker strikes the water and the relatively light spring 22 will permit the housing members to continue downwardly until the detent 21 is moved into unlatched position. The sinker D is propelled with considerable force during the casting operation, and the housing members will trail behind the sinker, the latter having appreciable weight. a

. Referring now to the second embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 of the drawings, this form of the protective shield for casting a baited hook differs from the first embodiment (FIGURES 1, 2,

3 and 4) primarily in the construction of the housing members A and the spring-pressed latch C. Like reference numerals and letters have been applied to the corresponding parts of the two embodiments or species.

Initially it will be noted that a spreader or bridle F has been shown in FIGURE 5 to which the line 23 is attached by the swivel 24. Also, the leader or lines and 2'7 are secured to the spreader or bridle F, and the latter will tend to prevent the lines from becoming entangled with one another.

As to the housing members A, the upper ends 12 thereof are swingably secured together by the snap fastener B so that the confronting faces 11 of these members may be moved toward and away from each other. The housing members A are made concavo-convexed in transverse and longitudinal cross-sections to provide the interior concaved compartments III for containing the hook 2t; and the bait in the same manner as previously described. Moreover, the sinker D is attached by its looped wire 31 to the latch C.

The latch C is slidably mounted in an aperture or elongated slot 29 formed in the lower part of one of the housing members A, and a spring 22 of light construction surrounds an arm 34 of this catch, with the spring being disposed between a shoulder 36 on the latch and the wall of the housing member A near the top of the aperture or slot 29.

As shown in FIGURE 7, the aperture or slot 29 extends downwardly into the lower flange portion 13 of one of the housing members A, with this slot limiting downward sliding movement of the latch C. The other housing member A is formed with an aperture or elongated slot 33 in the lower flange portion of this housing member (see FIGURE 7). A detent 21 is provided on the latch C so as to project through the aperture or slot 33' when the confronting faces II of the housing members A are disposed adjacent to one another. When the latch C is urged downwardly by the spring 22, engage with the flanged portion 13 at the bottom of the aperture or slot 33 to thus retain the housing members in cupped relation around the bait 25 during the casting operation, without accidental dislodgment of the bait.

The lower flanged portions 13 of the two housing members provide wings that may be bent toward and away from each other to thus vary the space 26 between the confronting faces 11 when these members are latched together.

It should be noted that both housing members A are identical with one another, and thus they may be stamped with the same set of dies. However, in the first embodiment, two different sets of dies are required for stamping the housing members A.

When the protective shield shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 is cast into the body of water E, the sinker D will move the latch C into unlatched position and release the baited hook in the same manner as previously described in connection with the first embodiment.

Obviously, the upper end of the leader or line 27 may be secured to the snap fastener B in either embodiment so as to prevent it from becoming entangled witlrthe leader or line 15, if desired. No showing is deemed necessary of this variation.

It will be apparent from FIGURES 6 and 7 that the latch C is slidably arranged and guided by the elongated slot 2h for vertical movement and the other elongated slot 33 receives and guides the detent 21 into latching position. Moreover, the arm 34 has its intermediate por tion disposed on the exterior surface of the housing member A on which the latch is mounted, and the upper and lower portions of the arm project through the slot 2E to the inner surface of this housing member. The spring 22 is coiled around the intermediate portion of the arm 34 and has coils large enough to retain the latch C in the slot 29, as will appear from FIGURE 6 of the drawings.

Hundreds of casting tests have been made, and there have been no failures in the shield unlatching when the sinker struck the water.

I claim:

ll. In a protective shield for casting a baited hook:

(a) a pair of companion housing members made to be disposed in confronting relation with one another, each being provided with a concaved compartment on that face thereof that confronts the other housing member;

(b) the housing members having. upper and lower ends;

(c) means hingedly securing the upper ends of the housing members together so that the confronting faces of the latter may be swung toward and away from one another;

(d) the concaved compartments of the housing members registering and coacting with one another to house a baited hook, when the housing members are swung toward one another into adjacent relation;

(e) a spring-pressed latch mounted on the lower end of one of the housing members and having a detent disposed to engage with a catch on the lower end of the other housing member for retaining the housing members in cupped relation around the bait, when the latch is moved downwardly by the spring, with the confronting faces of the housing members being disposed sufficiently close together to prevent accidental dislodgement of the bait from the compartments during the casting of the housing members by a line;

(f) a sinker anchored to the latch below the housing members to aid in casting the latter, and being disposed to move the detent upwardly into unlatched position for separation of the lower ends of the housing members to release the baited hook, when the detent will a) the sinker strikes a body of water into which the housing members are cast with the latter trailing behind the sinker;

(g) at least a portion of the confronting faces of the pair of housing members being separated from one another to provide an open space through which a leader or the like may extend from the baited hook, when the housing members are latched together, and this space providing an exit through which sand or other foreign matter may escape from the compartments;

(h) and the lower ends of the housing members on which the latch and catch respectively are disposed defining bendable Wings that may be bent toward and away from one another to thus vary the open space between the confronting faces of the housing members when the latter are latched together.

2. In a protective shield for casting a baited hook:

(a) a pair of companion housing members made to be disposed in confronting relation with one another, each being provided with a concaved compartment on that face thereof that confronts the other housing member;

(b) the housing members having upper and lower ends;

(c) means hingedly securing the upper ends of the housing members together so that the confronting faces of the latter may be swung toward and away from one another;

((1) the concaved compartments of the housing members registering and coacting with one another to house a baited hook, when the housing members are swung toward one another into adjacent relation;

(e) a spring-pressed latch mounted on the lower end of one of the housing members and having a detent disposed to engage with a catch on the lower end of the other housing member for retaining the housing members in cupped relation around the bait, when the latch is moved downwardly by the spring, with the confronting faces of the housing members being disposed sufficiently close together to prevent accidental dislodgment of the bait from the compartments during the casting of the housing members by a line;

(f) a sinker anchored to the latch below the housing members to aid in casting the latter, and being disposed to move the detent upwardly into unlatched position for separation of the lower ends of the housing members to release the baited hook, when the sinker strikes a body of water into which the housing members are cast with the latter trailing behind the sinker;

(g) the housing member on which the latch is mounted being fashioned with an elongated slot in which the latch is slidably arranged and guided for vertical movement and the other housing member having an elongated slot formed therein for receiving and guiding the detent into latching position relative to the latter housing member.

3. The protective shield for casting a baited hook, as

set forth in claim 2;

(h) the latch defining an arm having its intermediate portion disposed on the exterior surface of the lower end of the housing member on whichthe latch is mounted, and the upper and lower portions of the arm projecting through the slot in this member to the inner surface of the latter;

(i) and the spring being coiled around the intermediate portion of the arm and having coils large enough to retain the latch in the slot of the housing member on which the latch is mounted.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/48 Pazzano 43-4311 X FOREIGN PATENTS 2/51 France. 1/ 53 France.

ABRAHAM STONE, Primary Examiner, 

1. IN A PROTECTIVE SHIELD FOR CASTING A BAITED HOOK: (A) A PAIR OF COMPANION HOUSING MEMBERS MADE TO BE DISPOSED IN CONFRONTING RELATION WITH ONE ANOTHER, EACH BEING PROVIDED WITH A CONCAVED COMPARTMENT ON THAT FACE THEREOF THAT CONFRONTS THE OTHER HOUSING MEMBER; (B) THE HOUSING MEMBERS HAVING UPPER AND LOWER ENDS; (C) MEANS HINGEDLY SECURING THE UPPER ENDS OF THE HOUSING MEMBERS TOGETHER SO THAT THE CONFRONTING FACES OF THE LATTER MAY BE SWUNG TOWARD AND AWAY FROM ONE ANOTHER; (D) THE CONCAVED COMPARTMENTS OF THE HOUSING MEMBERS REGISTERING AND COACTING WITH ONE ANOTHER TO HOUSE A BAITED HOOK, WHEN THE HOUSING MEMBERS ARE SWUNG TOWARD ONE ANOTHER INTO ADJACENT RELATION; (E) A SPRING-PRESSED LATCH MOUNTED ON THE LOWER END OF ONE OF THE HOUSING MEMBERS AND HAVING A DETENT DISPOSED TO ENGAGE WITH A CATCH ONE THE LOWER END OF THE OTHER HOUSING MEMBER FOR RETAINING THE HOUSING MEMBERS IN CUPPED RELATION AROUND THE BAIT, WHEN THE LATCH IS MOVED DOWNWARDLY BY THE SPRING, WITH THE CONFRONTING FACES OF THE HOUSING MEMBERS BEING DISPOSED SUFFICIENTLY CLOSE TOGETHER TO PREVENT ACCIDENTAL DISLODGEMENT OF THE BAIT FROM THE COMPARTMENTS DURING THE CASTING OF THE HOUSING MEMBERS BY A LINE; (F) A SINKER ANCHORED TO THE LATCH BELOW THE HOUSING MEMBERS TO AID IN CASTING THE LATTER, AND BEING DISPOSED TO MOVE THE DETENT UPWARDLY INTO UNLATCHED POSITION FOR SEPARATION OF THE LOWER ENDS OF THE HOUSING MEMBERS TO RELEASE THE BAITED HOOK, WHEN THE SINKER STRIKES A BODY OF WATER INTO WHICH THE HOUSING MEMBERS ARE CAST WITH THE LATTER TRAILING BEHIND THE SINKER; (G) THE HOUSING MEMBER ON WHICH THE LATCH IS MOUNTED BEING FASHIONED WITH AN ELONGATED SLOT IN WHICH THE LATCH IS SLIDABLY ARRANGED AND GUIDED FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT AND THE OTHER HOUSING MEMBER HAVING AN ELONGATED SLOT FORMED THEREIN FOR RECEIVING AND GUIDING THE DETENT INTO LATCHING POSITION RELATIVE TO THE LATTER HOUSING MEMBER. 